The Meaning of Destiny
by CrazyOtaku13
Summary: This is a revised version of How Destiny Began. It tells the story of how young Esme Platt first encounters Dr. Carlisle Cullen and how fate brings them together later on in their lives. Canon.
1. The Fall

**A/N: This is the revised version of my first fic, How Destiny Began. I have added a lot of new things to this chapter to make it more enjoyable. This is where I will publish the future installments. I hope you all enjoy! Please R&R. ….I'm sorry if things aren't exactly right with the medical procedures or if it gets OOC.**

**Twilight is property of Stephenie Meyer, but this story is mine!**

The _Fall (Esme's POV) Columbus, Ohio 1911_

There was a cool breeze in the air. With one hand, I patted down my faded pink skirt, the other I used to tuck the stray strands of caramel-colored hair blowing freely behind my ear. Not too far from my family's small farm was a large tree, its trunk thick and branches stretching out in all directions, topped with a plethora of lush leaves, blowing where the wind pulled them. It was quite fun to climb and you could see the outskirts of the small city from below. Whenever I managed to climb high enough, there was that feeling of freedom and achievement that I craved so much. I never did quite make it to the top. I barely ever managed to get more than five feet from the ground. There was always an urgent voice that yelled out from my small house, a voice that if I refused to obey, I would be severely punished. Of course, I couldn't recall the last time I even thought about climbing this tree. Maybe it was a few years ago. Being sixteen now, I should think that I'm too old for such childish games. But no, I'm the type of girl searching for a thrill, regardless of age.

I walked across the grass until the toe of my shoe touched the thick tree bark. I reached up to grab a sturdy branch. I hoisted myself up into a crevice in the tree and reached out for another branch. The wind blew my hair back and I could feel some leaves rustling through it. The breeze felt nice. Cool and refreshing. I looked down to check my progress. So far, from what I could estimate, I was achieving a new record of at least seven feet. I smiled, carefully grabbing a much thinner branch and scraping my shoe against the bark. I glanced down to check my footing. As I did, a strong gust of wind rushed from behind me, blowing my medium-length hair in my face. I tightly shut my eyes and let go of one of the tree branches to brush the hair away. I lost my footing for a brief second and I pulled on a weaker tree branch in an effort to lift me up, but my weight was too much for the slender branch and it snapped under my weight. The branch wasn't the only snap I heard as I instantly fell to the ground with a loud thud.

A blood-curdling scream escaped from my mouth. There was pain everywhere, especially in my right leg.

"Esme!" My mother's voice was frantic in the distance as she ran out from the house, followed by my father.

"Esme, dear!" my father gasped, kneeling to my side. He stared down at my leg, in horror at the sight of the bone standing up in the most unnatural way. "Call the doctor!" he urged my mother.

I tightly shut my eyes, allowing the tears to pour out freely. The pain was unbearable. All I could make out of my father and mother's conversation was that the local doctor was out, meaning we would have to take a trip out to Columbus.

My father carefully lifted me up in his arms.

I couldn't help but burst out into more tears. I was afraid to even look at my leg. I could tell from the pain that it was badly broken.

"It's ok, Esme," he assured me, kissing my hair as he laid me down in the backseat of the car. "We're getting you to the hospital."

The car ride was a blur. I was in and out of consciousness the entire drive. As my father lifted me out of the car, the sky was dark. I could hear the frantic voices of the hospital staff around me as my father carried me inside.

"I'll take her from here, sir," a calm voice spoke with authority.

"Thank you, Doctor." My father's voice was filled with relief at the sight of the doctor. "My wife saw her fall from a tree." He reluctantly handed me over to the young doctor.

"It will be no problem. Just wait here."

I opened my eyes, only to stare at the stranger as he swiftly carried me off down a hallway. My face felt hot. He looked far too young to be a doctor. And he was handsome, more than handsome. I couldn't help but stare at him, wide-eyed. I took in every detail of him; his golden blond hair, his calm voice that sounded almost melodic and his unique golden eyes. He was like an angel, here to save me from my suffering.

His eyes met mine as he gently set me down atop a metal table. He smiled at me and I swore my heart was going to burst from my chest. "Broken leg," he breathed. He stared down at my leg, the whole while I had my eyes fixed on his perfect face. He scrounged about a cabinet of medical supplies and pulled out a syringe filled with the anesthetic. "You're going to feel some pain, alright? Esme, was it?"

I nodded, dumbfounded.

"You're a brave girl, Esme," he chuckled. "No tears or anything." He glanced directly at me.

I hadn't even noticed that I stopped crying. I could only nod in reply. He was too perfect. There was a sudden jolt of pain that shot through my leg and throughout my body as he snapped the bone in place. I yelped, and grabbed his white coat.

"It's alright now," he kindly assured me. "All you need now is a cast so the bone can set. Lucky for you, it was a clean break, so it should heal quickly," he informed me. "Even after you're all healed, I would recommend you be more careful about tree climbing, ok?" he winked.

"Yes!" I breathed, embarrassed. I couldn't help myself. Too ashamed to look him in the eye, I caught sight of the nametag on his coat as he began putting a cast on my leg. "Dr. Carlisle Cullen." I had meant to say the name in my head, but the words escaped. Even his name sounded beautiful.

His melodic chuckle filled the air. "Yes. Feel free to call me Carlisle, though, Ms. Esme."

Carlisle. Carlisle Cullen. It had quite a ring to it. "Esme's fine, Doctor," I smiled. It was nice to be able to talk to him like this. I watched him cover my leg in plaster. I hadn't noticed it before, but his hands felt like ice against my bare leg. It felt nice, though. Soothing, actually, seeing that it helped numb the pain. I smiled at him, longing to run my fingers through his blond hair. "Have you worked here long?" I wondered, curious to know more about him and distract myself from my silly fantasies.

"I've only been in Columbus for seven years working." His hands were careful and accurate as he bandaged my leg, skilled with years of experience.

"I see." My voice was sincere as I answered him. I found it hard to believe he's had years of experience with his work. He appeared to be nowhere near his late twenties.

"So, do you climb trees often?" he joked.

"Actually, it's been a while," I laughed. "It just seemed so tempting, you know? I figure I'm too old for it…I guess this was my punishment," I noted, staring at my leg.

He laughed, "Yes, it's quite the punishment to be stuck here with me."

"No, no!" I exclaimed. "I didn't mean you-my leg!" I assured him, my eyes widening slightly. I had no intention of offending him.

"I know, I'm kidding," he assured me as he saw the look of panic on my face.

"Good." I breathed a sigh of relief. "A doctor, then," I noted, wanting to change the subject to focus more on him. "What made you want to be a doctor?"

"I find it rewarding to be able to help those that are sick or injured." His response was something that any aspiring doctor would say, but hearing him say it made it sound honest and as though he was destined for this job for whatever reason may be. "And what will you like to be when you're an adult?"

The answer was simple for me. "A teacher," I replied, "I love being around little children. We get along splendidly," I added. "Do you have any children, Dr. Carlisle?" I eagerly questioned.

"No," he responded. "I'm unmarried."

I couldn't help but notice a slight pain in his voice. There was a loneliness to it. Although it was none of my business, I wondered what kept him from marrying. Not only did he possess the appearance of an angel, his profession paid him greatly, to my knowledge.

"Esme?" he eyed me, curiously. The sound of my name being uttered by his voice snapped my out of my daze.

My face reddened slightly. "Sorry. My mind was elsewhere."

"Are you still experiencing pain?" His face was serious. I figured that I had awakened the alert doctor side of Carlisle.

"A little," I admitted. "But it's nothing I can't handle," I added bravely, proving to him that I wasn't a small child.

He chortled and went to a nearby sink where he took a Styrofoam cup and filled it with water. From a wooden cabinet above him, he pulled out a tiny plastic container. His eyes scanned through the fine print labeled onto the bottle for a moment and he then popped open the lid and a minute, white pill fell into his open palm. "This should help." He approached me and offered me the painkiller.

I stared down at the medicine in his hand. It was very kind of him to offer me this, but I wanted to prove my bravery. After all, I could handle a little pain. I was sixteen, not five. Did he look at me like a child or as an adult? Only children were forced to take medicine.

"It will help you feel much better, Esme," he added encouragingly.

Not wanting to argue with him or come off as too stubborn, I reached my hand out to his. It was cool to the touch and smooth, like the marble of a statue. My fist grabbed the tablet, but refused to move away from his reach. Gradually, I pulled my tightly clenched fist away and popped the medicine into my mouth. I grabbed the cup from his other hand, took a gulp, and allowed the water to wash the minute tablet down my throat.

"Was it bad?" he asked jokingly.

"It's better than what my mother used to force me to drink," I giggled.

He laughed along with me. "Well, that's good to hear. I'm glad you're in better spirits now."

"I have you to thank for it," I blushed. "You're an excellent doctor!"

A smile played at the corner of his lips. "It means very much to me for you to say that. Thank you, Esme."

"You haven't a need to thank me," I joked.

"Of course I do," he informed me. "You're a lovely young lady and it's been a pleasure to treat you." His pen clicked under his thumb and he began to scribble something down on a page of his clipboard.

So in his eyes, I was a young lady after all. I triumphantly beamed. Finally, there was someone who could acknowledge that I was no longer a baby.

"On one final note," he continued, "you've been a lovely patient, Esme," he smiled. "Your leg should be healed in about six to eight weeks. Please stay here while I get your parents."

"Wait," I breathed.

He stood from the chair and his golden-brown eyes rested on my face. "Yes?"

"It's nothing," I lied. There was still so much I wanted to say, even though I was unsure to what I would babble on about, but just being here and talking with him was enough to put me at ease. There was something special about him. Seeing him made my heart race faster and hearing his laugh was music to my ears. He was the only one who ever made me feel like this. He truly gave me a feeling of joy.

"I'll be back in a second." And with that, he was gone, leaving me alone.

Seeing the wooden door close behind him forced the tears to well up in my eyes. I brushed them away with my hands, irritated by the suddenness of it all. He was only going to get my parents. He was coming back. Why was I getting so upset over all of this? Questions flooded through my naïve head. Why was it that I just wanted to stay here with him? Why did my heart beat against my chest every time I thought of him? And why did I feel completely and utterly alone as he left?

I bit my lower lip, listening to the sound of my rapid heartbeat. Of course this was all too good to be true. I was going to have to leave at some point, right?

The door creaked open and my parents entered the room. "Thank you so much, Doctor!" my mother smiled. I couldn't help but notice the look of adoration on her face but who could I blame? Dr. Cullen probably got that love-sick look from all the women.

Carlisle warmly smiled at my mother and father. "She was a great patient, Mrs. Platt. No tears or anything." He glanced at me. "I just hope the next time I see her isn't in the emergency room."

My parent's laughter drowned out his musical laugh. "Ready to go home, Esme?" my father asked.

I stared at Carlisle. I wanted to stay more than anything, but I knew that would be asking too much. I figured I could always visit Dr. Cullen again, especially after my leg healed, but then I realized it was just too long and far a drive and my parents would just call up the local doctor if I hurt myself again.

"We do hope to see you again, Doctor," my father smiled, shaking Carlisle's hand.

"Please do." His voice seemed to trail off. "Although, unfortunately, my assistance is needed in Chicago and this is my last month here."

"I'm sure you'll be more than happy there!" my mother assured him.

I felt my heart sink upon hearing his words. This was the first and last time I would ever be graced by the presence of Dr. Carlisle Cullen.

My dad lifted me up into his arms, afraid that I might hurt myself on the way out.

"Goodbye, Esme," Carlisle smiled, waving farewell.

_No!_ I wanted to scream it out. I refused to leave. I knew my efforts would be useless, though, and I was far too old to throw a tantrum. I swallowed back the tears I felt welling up in my eyes. "Bye," I choked, gazing at his pale, yet beautiful face that grew farther and farther away from my reach as my father carried me down the long hallway, until we were outside and I had lost sight of my beloved doctor completely.

As we left the hospital, I tightly shut my eyes and found myself sobbing uncontrollably.

"It's alright, Esme dear," my father assured me as he kissed my hair and carefully set me down in the backseat of the car.

It wasn't the same when my father spoke those words. Nothing would ever be alright, that I was sure of. I would never again see Carlisle. That gave hopelessness to my existence. Thinking about him only hurt me more. All I had left of him were memories, nothing more. My chest felt hollow, as though my heart was missing. I believed that it truly was. As extreme and fanatical as it sounded, my heart was with Carlisle. For the first time in my young life, I realized what it meant to be in love.


	2. Panic

_Panic (Carlisle's POV) Ashland, Wisconsin 1921_

I was just finishing up with a patient's broken arm. I walked past the hospital's front desk just as a nurse hung up the phone.

"Dr. Cullen," the older woman began, "wait by the ER, we have an incoming patient. It appears to be a failed suicide attempt."

I nodded and briskly walked towards the emergency room. I can't help but feel remorse towards situations such as these. It's such a pity that someone would want to end their own life. Then again, who was I to be talking? But that was long ago, and I had my reasons.

The emergency room doors flew open and two doctors ran in, pulling a stretcher inside and into a nearby, unoccupied room down the hall. "Dr. Cullen, you have to hurry, we're losing her- but I doubt there's much we can do."

I quickly followed behind the stretcher with ease. "Failed suicide?" I began to scribble down notes on a clipboard. "Where did you find her?"

"At the foot of a cliff. She must've jumped." The doctor set her on a hospital bed and began to hook her up to a machine.

I set my clipboard down and glanced up at the half-dead woman on the bed. Despite the heavy bleeding, the bones snapped up in an unusual way, her legs twisted most peculiarly and the ten years worth of aging from a young adult to a woman, I recognized her. "Esme," I breathed. I couldn't believe it. It was definitely her- I was most positive. How could I ever forget her sweet face, or her gently waving caramel-colored locks?

Her heart rate began to fail her as the machine beeped at least four times a second, but gradually became nothing more than one ear-piercing screech.

She wasn't going to make it. I knew the all too painful truth of the matter. It was too late for her to be saved. I couldn't help but recall our first meeting. She was such a cheerful young girl, and so beautiful. I wasn't going to let her life end like this. As much as it pained me, I just couldn't afford to lose her. Just like with Edward. "Doctors, please, I can handle this- go tend to another patient."

The doctors nodded and left the room, closing the door behind them. They, too, knew that it was too late for the young woman.

I tried to keep myself calm. I wanted to save her more than anything. She didn't deserve to die like this. But if it was a suicide, she _wanted_ to die. Would she forgive me if I made her like myself? If she despised what I made her, she would live forever and she would be pained with whatever burden forced her to jump and lead her to this cruel demise. I was given a choice; I could save her and have someone to accompany me for all eternity, even though there was the strong possibility that she will loathe me for it, or, I could simply let her die and live with the pain.

I had my decision and I had no intentions of changing it. I had already grown fond of her; I had always been since we first met. For this reason, I was weak. "Forgive me, Esme," I whispered as I leaned down and pressed my cold lips to her neck. I had to save her. Of all people, I wasn't going to lose her and this was my only option.


End file.
